1. Field
This invention relates to devices for holding fishing leaders with hooks attached in place in a condition so that the leader and hooks will not become snarled. A particular advantage is having leaders and hooks pretied prior to undertaking a fishing expedition. The purpose of the leader is to have a lesser breaking strength in the lines so if a hook becomes snagged the line will break at the hook and the line will not be lost.
2. Prior Art
A variety of types of fishing hook holders for snelled hooks and for hooks having leaders attached are known in the art.
Typical of the known fishing hook holders are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,578,631 and 2,448,728, wherein the devices are flat and elongated and have hook engaging means at the base with each snelled hook attached to a longitudinally movable post. In the first mentioned patent the device is slotted at the base so that each slot accommodates one hook and there are a matching number of posts. In the device in the second mentioned patent there are holes in the base to accommodate each hook with a matching number of posts.
Other types of devices are disclosed in the Collins, U.S. Pat. No. 2,041,231, the Freeman, U.S. Pat. No. 3,172,228 and the Porter, U.S. Pat. No. 1,715,567. In each of these devices a large number of spring members are attached near one end with hook receiving means located at the other end of the elongated flat device. The hook engaging means are immobile so location of the springs at the opposite end may be adjusted. The devices are constructed so that there are springs on either side of the device and hooks are attached on both sides of the device. These devices are constructed particularly to hold the hooks attached to one leader.
The fishing hook container of Lester, U.S. Pat. No. 2,600,665, has spring means at one end with a plurality of rods near the other end of the device. The loop of the leader may be engaged with the spring while the hook loops over one of the plurality of rods which are longitudinally spaced from the spring. The rods are stationary.
The device of Jerdee, U.S. Pat. No. 2,836,005, provides stationary plugs to engage the loop of a leader and has hook engaging means which is attached to the base by compression spring means.
The device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,574,908 of Buicke is a holder for leader lines wherein the leader has loops at each end. The device has loop engaging means on opposite sides of the device and holds the leader by hooking one loop over one loop engaging means passing the leader about the end of the device and looping the loop at the opposite end over the loop engaging means on the opposite side of the device.
While the devices of the prior art perform the function of holding single hooks attached to a single leader, none of the devices are particularly well adapted for handling gang hooks attached to a single leader.